


Dance With Me

by its_a_religion



Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Gen, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, This is mostly angst and I'm very sorry but I felt like I needed to write this, im sorry pete, like seriously watch out because it is blatant, pete cries, sonny is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 19:22:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11065503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_a_religion/pseuds/its_a_religion
Summary: Pete gets beat up while working on a mural and Sonny comforts him in the aftermath





	Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because I feel like there are a million fics where Sonny gets hurt and Sonny is the weak one and Sonny cries and while I am all for those I also feel like Pete has some depth to him as well and he has feelings and fears and issues too. I hope you enjoy. Sorry it's so angsty but I am not a happy lil bean. Thanks for reading!

“HEY FAGGOT!” Someone called out. Pete rolled his eyes and set down his can. He was busy doing a commission for a local middle school, but it could wait two minutes while he put an asshole in their place. He looked around for the owner of the voice, but saw nobody. He shrugged and picked up his can again figuring whoever it was was just passing through. The cool metal of the spray can in his hand was a welcome comfort against the unease he felt from the slur. He got one spray in before there was a sharp pain in his side. Pete felt himself fall and felt someone climb on top of him yelling about how he was “a faggot piece of shit” and was “going to hell” and “deserved to die.” Pete tried to fight back but a second and third person appeared and held down his arms while the first guy landed punch after punch. Pete stopped struggling, he was a big guy but he wasn't a match for three people ganging up on him. He figured they would eventually get bored and leave him alone.

A little while later Pete was grateful to find that his theory had been correct as the three men ran off. Pete just laid there for a minute. He could feel blood dripping down his cheek and he could taste iron in his mouth. His right eye was already almost completely swollen shut and while he wouldn't be able to tell until he saw himself in a mirror, he thought that they may have broken his nose.

This wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Pete. This time had been especially brutal, but ever since he and Sonny had come out they had both been the targets for a lot of hate. Amazingly enough, Sonny could always handle the hate better than Pete. Most people assumed that Sonny was this weak little boy who had a lot of feelings and couldn't fend for himself. They never paid attention enough to realize that Sonny was always unapologetically himself. Homophobia, while annoying, never broke Sonny’s spirit. On the flip side, people always assumed that because Pete looked big and strong and tough that hate towards him didn't affect him as much. Fact of the matter was that Pete had an extremely hard time handling the abuse that he got. He could handle the physical part, he was strong and could fight, but the emotional pain and fear and hurt was something he couldn't deal with. Not alone at least. Pete pulled his phone out of his pocket. It took a few tries as his hands were shaking, but he managed to pull it out and send a quick text to Sonny.

Pete: Need you at the middle school on 182nd asap

Pete scooted over to the wall where he’d been painting and waited for a response.

Sonny: On my way. You good?

Pete: No.

When Sonny received Pete’s text he took off running. Thankfully the middle school was close by. He had no idea what could have happened, but nothing could have prepared him for what he found.

Pete was slumped over next to a half done mural. There was blood everywhere. From what Sonny could see, Pete’s right eye was swollen all the way shut and his left was turning a gnarly shade of purple. His cheek had been broken open and was still bleeding from a cut that looked like it might need stitches. His nose was dripping blood as well and there were bruises around his wrists where someone must have been holding him down. That was all Sonny could see, but he knew there was probably more, both physically and psychologically. “Pete?” Sonny said softly, stepping towards him. The older man looked at him, his face the essence of pain. A tear slipped out of his big hazel-green eyes, tearing at Sonny’s heartstrings. “It's ok, you’re ok,” Sonny whispered. He crouched down and put a hand on Pete’s shoulder. Pete leaned into the touch. “We should get out of here.” Pete nodded at the idea. Sonny gathered up Pete’s art supplies, shoving them back into the ratty backpack his boyfriend was always carrying around. He slung the bag over his shoulder then helped Pete up and the two slowly made their way back to Sonny’s apartment.

Sonny guided Pete gently up the stairs. His worry growing as his boyfriend still hadn’t said a word, but he could deal with that later. For now he just needed to get Pete cleaned up. He pushed the door open and ushered Pete inside. It only took a few moments for Usnavi to be in the couple’s faces asking a million questions about what happened. Sonny put a hand up to stop the rambling and said, as calmly as he could, “why don’t you grab some first aid shit, Cuz?” Usnavi nodded and dashed off the grab their first aid kit. “Pete how’re you feeling?” Sonny asked kindly. His boyfriend responded with a noncommittal shrug. Sonny sighed and led Pete into the kitchen, sitting him down on a chair at the table. He grabbed a rag from the drawer by the stove and dampened it with warm water. He carefully wiped the blood off Pete’s face, rewetting the towel a few times. Usnavi came back with the first aid kit and used some butterfly closures on Pete’s cheek. After a thorough assessment, the De La Vegas came to the conclusion that Pete’s nose wasn't broken, but was bruised up pretty badly. Usnavi grabbed a bag of frozen peas for Pete’s eye and nose while Sonny checked the rest of him for other injuries. There were the bruises on his arms, as well as a few on his ankles. There was also some bruising on the side of his ribcage, but it looked to be old so Sonny figured it probably wasn't from the fight Pete had obviously been in. “Pete, can you please tell me what happened?” Sonny pleaded, but all he got was Pete grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. Sonny sighed and figured it was better than nothing. When they finished cleaning Pete up, Usnavi went to bed saying that Pete could stay the night. Sonny helped his boyfriend to his bedroom. They laid together in the bed, Pete curled against Sonny, holding him close. It didn't take long for Sonny to hear Pete’s breathing even out. Sonny fell asleep soon after.

 ***

Pete woke into a panic sometime around four in the morning. His chest felt tight and he couldn't breathe right and everything was just too much. He put a hand on Sonny who bolted upright. Confused for a moment, Sonny was frozen. When he realized what was happening he moved so he was sitting in front of Pete. He grabbed on of his shaking hands and put it against his chest. Sonny took an exaggerated deep breath with the implication that Pete should attempt the same. He did it again. He repeated until Pete was finally able to breath in time with him. They just sat there on the bed for a few minutes while Pete calmed down enough, at which point he practically crumpled into Sonny, sobbing. Sonny held him and rubbed his back and whispered words of encouragement in Pete’s ear. Slowly, his sobs became less frequent and his shaking became more of a light tremble. Finally, for the first time since Sonny had found him, Pete spoke. “Why are people so awful?” He asked, the pain and fear in his voice breaking Sonny’s heart.

“Because people can't see past their own ignorance. They refuse to accept what they can't understand and refuse to admit when they are wrong. But you are you, and you are perfect the way that you are and nobody’s bigotry should determine how you feel about yourself.”

Pete leaned his head up and kissed Sonny like he was water in the middle of the desert. There was nowhere that Pete felt safer than in his Sonny’s embrace. They kissed lazily for a few minutes when Pete broke off. He grabbed his phone and turned on a slow song Sonny had never heard. He grabbed Sonny’s hand and pulled him off the bed. “Dance with me and pretend the world doesn't exist” he pleaded. Sonny complied without complaint. They danced and when the song changed to something more upbeat neither showed any indication that they would be changing with it. They danced the night away to their own song forgetting about the pain they had to endure on a daily basis. They were able to live in their own little dream world for the time being. Pete realized in that moment that the homophobia would always hurt, but with Sonny by his side it would be ok.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for putting Pete through all of that. Know that I love my sons a whole lot and I don't want them to hurt and in honor of pride month I'll be posting some fluff in the near future. As usual if you can drop me a comment I would greatly appreciate it and if you get me some kudos I would also be so grateful. Feedback is why I keep writing so let me know your thoughts through comments and/or kudos. Lots of love and thanks for reading :)


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